Erzsebet
by arrasails1977
Summary: Story 4 in my 'His Witchy Woman' series. Not yet complete. A stranger from the future arrives in Sunnydale with a message of woe for the Scooby Gang. Not yet complete.


Erzsebet

"So this is Sunnydale."

The stranger looked about her toward the Sun Cinema and the bank, situated on Main Street, until she saw what she was looking for.

'The Magic Box'.

She would find whom she wanted in there. Looking both ways before crossing the road, Erzsebet Von Braun walked to the entrance of the magic shop and looked through the window the dark interior within.

She could see that there was a blond woman serving an elderly gentleman, who was purchasing some herbs.

She opened the door and went inside. She walked over to one of the bookshelves, waiting for the assistant to finish with the customer. As she did so, she looked at the many literary works on display.

She was about to reach for one, when the young woman approached her.

"Can I help you with anything?" she asked, looking hopeful.

"Maybe," she replied. "I am looking for Rupert Giles. Is it so, that I would find him here?"

Anya unobtrusively looked the stranger up and down. She spoke with a lilting foreign accent - eastern European by the sound of it. She was tall, 5' 10" at least, with closely cropped jet-black hair and creamy white skin. She was dressed in black, from the leather trousers and jacket, to the black sports top.

"Yes, he works here, but he's out at the moment," she replied, suspicious of strange women who would seek out Giles. What could this attractive woman want with the British Watcher? "Do you want me to leave him a message?" she asked, fishing for information.

Erzsebet looked at the young woman and nodded her head. "I need to get in touch with him as soon as possible. If I could leave a note of where he can reach me?" she asked.

Anya beckoned her over to the counter to make a note. She passed a notepad and pen to the stranger and she quickly wrote her details on it. "I'm staying at the Downtown Apartments. I don't know the number, but I am in room 214. It is urgent that he calls me as soon as possible," she added, staring intently at Anya.

Anya nodded. "I'll get him to call you as soon as he gets in."

Erzsebet looked around her one last time and abruptly left the shop.

"It's about time you got back," said Anya, impatiently tapping her foot, arms folded. "You've been gone all afternoon. How long does it take to speak to Buffy about some stupid prophetic dream she's had, or whatever? Xander and I have plans you know," she added, picking up her coat. She was about to go out the door, when she remembered their visitor of earlier. "Oh yes, you had a caller. She left a note for you. She said it was important that you contact her."

Giles picked up the notepad and looked at the elegant writing. He didn't recognise the name. "Did she say what she wanted?"

Anya screwed up her face, impatient to leave. "She didn't say anything. She just wrote that, then left. Said to call her. Can I go now?" she asked, already opening the door.

Preoccupied with the note in his hand, he raised a hand in farewell and said absently, "Of course. See you tomorrow, Anya."

As the door closed behind the ex-demon, he walked towards the phone and flicked through the pages of the book next to it, until he found the number he was searching for. He dialled and when the person on the other end answered, he asked, "Could you put me through the room 214, please? Erzsebet Von Braun," he added.

"Hello?" said a foreign voice.

"Hello, Ms Von Braun? This is Rupert Giles. I believe you wanted to speak to me?"

"Mr Giles! Thank you for calling me. I need to speak to you as soon as possible. Could I see you now? It is very important," she stressed.

Giles frowned thoughtfully and said, "I'm currently doing inventory, but if it is that urgent, then you could come to the Magic Shop and we could speak."

Abruptly, Erzsebet interrupted him. "I'll come now. Thank you Mr Giles," she added, then ended the call, leaving Giles holding his telephone receiver, listening to the dial tone. "Well," he said, baffled.

He was making a cup of tea 10 minutes later, when the bell above the door jingled. He looked up to see Erzsebet come through the entry.

She walked across to Giles and offered her hand. They shook hands, and Giles asked her if she would like a drink. She declined and he preceded her over to the table and gestured for her to take a seat opposite him. "What can I do for you, Ms Von Braun?" he asked, getting to the point.

Erzsebet looked him in the eye and said intently, "I need your help, Giles."

Giles took a sip of his tea and said, "Is that so? How, exactly?"

"I don't have time for questions, Giles. I just need you to listen."

Giles looked at her warily and moved as if to get up from the table. Erzsebet moved quickly and grabbed his hand with surprising strength, stopping him. "What I am about to tell you, I need you to listen to carefully, believe me."

Giles' eyes narrowed. "All right," he said, stretching the word out. He sat back down and she let go of his hand.

She leaned towards him earnestly and said, "I have been sent here to ask for help. Or rather, the help of the Slayer," she stated bluntly.

Giles blinked rapidly, almost choking on the mouthful of tea he had just taken. "Pardon me?" he croaked.

She shook her head impatiently. "I'm sorry Giles, but I do not have time for this. We must contact Buffy and the others. I need their help." Giles looked at her, eyes watering and asked, "Who are you?"

She looked him in the eye and smiled grimly. "I am the Slayer."

"W-w-what do you mean?" Giles asked, astounded.

"I don't have time for this," she said with irritation. "Perhaps it would be better if I told everyone at once?" she suggested.

Giles shook his head and said, "I'm afraid I can't do that, Ms Von Braun, as I'm sure you can appreciate. You could be anyone. And you definitely can't be the Slayer. Buffy is still alive," he said imperiously.

"Giles," she said impatiently. "I really don't have time for this. The sooner we get the ball rolling, the sooner I shall be out of your hair."

"I think you could be right," said a voice from behind them. They looked up to see a figure step from the shadows. "I'm sure I would remember if I died, and since I don't, then you can't be the Slayer," Buffy stated, stepping into the light.

"Buffy, it is imperative that I have your help," Erzsebet said, not looking surprised to see Buffy standing there. Buffy opened her mouth to demand answers, but Erzsebet interrupted her. "I know you have questions, but I think it would be better to inform the whole gang at once, yes?" she suggested.

Buffy's eyes narrowed for a moment, as she looked Erzsebet up and down. She was sure she could handle her if she turned out to be a problem. "All right, but don't try anything," she ordered the other woman. She looked at Giles and said, "I think we had better get the gang here. We don't want to give her access to our homes if it turns out that she is a vampire."

Ignoring them as they went to the phone to call their friends, Erzsebet sat back and waited impatiently for the others to arrive.

"Alright, you wanted us all here. Suppose you tell us what this is all about." Buffy stood over Erzsebet, arms folded.

Erzsebet looked at the group around her; Xander, Anya, Willow, Spike and Giles. "As I have already informed Giles, I am the Slayer…"

"OK, so this is where I am having a problem," said Buffy, interrupting. "I'm pretty sure I would remember dying," she added sarcastically.

Erzsebet frowned, irritated. "If you would let me carry on without being rude, I would be able to answer your questions," she answered disapprovingly. As Giles gave Buffy 'the look', she closed her mouth on what she had been about to say. Erzsebet turned toward them and said, "I am Erzsebet Von Braun and I am a Slayer."

They all looked at her, disbelieving. All of them except Spike. "She's not lying. She's a Slayer – you can smell it on her. Her blood," he added when they looked enquiringly at him.

Buffy frowned. "But Faith's not dead – she's in a prison cell in LA. I'm sure Angel would have let me know if she had died."

Giles nodded his head in agreement. "And I am equally sure that the Council would have let me know if another Slayer had been called," he said.

Erzsebet shook her head impatiently, her eyes cooling slightly at the mention of the ensouled vampire. "This is accomplishing nothing. I was sent here to get the help of the Slayer of this time. I'd forgotten what a pain in the ass you were, Buffy," she added, smiling ruefully.

"She's got you there, Buffy," Spike agreed. Buffy ignored him and sat down opposite Erzsebet.

"This help you need – say I did believe you – what would it entail? What's wrong? You say you're a Slayer – if that's the case, then I'm sure that you should be able to handle it yourself."

Willow put up a hand and interrupted when they all looked at her. "Did you say 'the Slayer from this time'? What did you mean by that?" she asked.

Erzsebet looked at Willow with admiration. "I was sent here by two of my best friends, in order to destroy an evil which has risen in my time. I come from 10 years in your future," she added.

They were all silent for a moment. "OK," said Buffy, drawing the word out. She could handle this, now that she realised that they were dealing with a crazy person – a crazy person who seemed to know a lot about them all – but a fruitcake, nevertheless.

Erzsebet saw the expression on her face and realised what the other Slayer was thinking. "No, Buffy, I am a Slayer – and I'm not crazy. When I was sent here, my friends said that I would most likely not be believed, so they told me things which only someone who had spoken to them would know."

Buffy nodded her head, humouring the other woman. "And who was it that sent you here?"

Erzsebet looked at her and said three words. "Willow and Spike."

They all looked at the redheaded witch and peroxide blond vampire. They smiled at each other. "Well, at least we know we're still together in the future," Spike said, smirking.

Erzsebet walked over to where Willow was sitting, Spike unconsciously moving toward the witch to protect her if necessary. Erzsebet smiled slightly at the protective move. "Willow told me that she had fallen for Spike when he kidnapped her and Xander, hoping to find a love spell to use on Drusilla."

Willow looked at Spike. He was the only person she had ever told that to – she hadn't even told Buffy. She frowned consideringly. In the future, Erzsebet and she must be close.

As though she could read Willow's mind, Erzsebet said, "In my time, you and Spike are the closest friends I have. You are both the reason that I am here today."

Spike opened his mouth and was about to ask his own questions. Erzsebet held up a hand and said, "Do you believe me?"

Willow shrugged her shoulders. "I've only ever told Spike that, so she definitely knows something."

Erzsebet nodded. "Buffy and I have to go back to my time."

Willow frowned. "But I don't understand. Why would we send you here? Where is Buffy in your time? I would have thought she would have been a help then – why come back here for her?"

Spike looked at Erzsebet, as she seemed to have a problem replying. He knew what was coming. "Buffy's dead in your time isn't she? That's the only reason I know of her not being there to help," he added.

Erzsebet cleared her throat. "You don't understand. Buffy _is_ the evil from my time."

"No way!" exclaimed Buffy. "There's no way I would become evil. What, did I get turned into a vampire?" she asked sarcastically. "What? You mean that's what happens?" Buffy added, seeing the uncomfortable look on Erzsebet's face.

"I asked Willow and Spike about this, and they said I wouldn't usually be able to tell you much about the future for fear of changing it, but you'll see what happened when you go there, anyway," Erzsebet replied. "It was Angelus," she added starkly.

Buffy paled. "Angel?" she croaked.

"No. Angel is nothing but a distant memory – it was Angelus. You can't get confused here, Buffy. Angel is gone and has been for six years."

"What happened?" asked Spike, when Buffy appeared to be incapable of speech.

"Four years from now, a being called Jasmine went to Los Angeles, who could control human minds. Many were…killed," Erzsebet understated. "It was during this time that Angel became close to Cordelia. They…well, you get the drift. Angel lost his soul and killed all the people closest to him."

"He killed Cordy?" asked Xander.

"He killed her, and hundreds of others. Buffy, Willow and Spike went to Los Angeles to try to stop him. They tried to kill him, but he…killed Buffy before they could. He turned you," she added, staring intently at Buffy.

"And where is he now?" Buffy asked, unable to take it in.

"You and he are still together," she replied.

"How did you get here?" asked Giles.

"Willow did a spell. You're a very powerful witch in the future, Will," she added. "Three years from now, you do a spell, which calls on the power of the Slayer. There was no longer just one Slayer. There were thousands of us."

"Well, what about them? Can't they help?" asked Buffy.

"Angelus and Buffy decimated them. Together, you and he were the worst demons the world has ever seen. Faith and I are the only ones left. She stayed there to help Willow and Spike try to keep you and Angelus at bay. I only hope they've been successful," she replied grimly.

6


End file.
